Public Programs and Special Events
14 August – 23 December 2011
Recent Past: Australian painting of the 70s and 80s
Jeremy Kirwan-Ward, Blue escape, 1970, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 122 cm
The University of Western Australia Art Collection, acquired 1970, © The University of Western Australia
The late 1960s through to the early 90s was a period of profound change in Australian painting and in Australian culture. Artists
were producing assertive, bold works—Australian yet international in outlook. Australian artists took many pathways, though
most were notably in touch with and influenced by wider debates. Ranging from Sydney Ball’s Ispahan (1967), hard-edge
and resolutely abstract, to Jurek Wybraniec’s early work Untitled III (1990), clearly influenced by European neo-expressionist
figuration, this exhibition explores the spectrum of paintings produced and ideas explored during this critical period.
Recent Past traces a modern history of Australian painting through the work of 36 artists, over half of whom worked in Western
Australia. Abstraction, representation, politics and local history, the life of the mind and spirit, the stuff of paint and colour—all
were being vigorously explored by these artists. The exhibition includes major works by artists from Sidney Nolan (with his
giant multi-part Flower panels [Paradise Garden series], c. 1968 and The Snake, 1973) through to Western Australia artist Carol
Rudyard (and her Wall hanging screenprint I, c. 1974), and from European émigré Lidija Dombrovska Larsen (with The lonesome
traveller, 1989-91) to an early painting by Jeremy Kirwan-Ward (Blue escape, 1970).
The works in the exhibition were acquired for the University of Western Australia Art Collection between 1969 and 1990—a
twenty-one year period leading up to the opening of the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, which this year celebrates its twentyfirst birthday. Most of the works have not been exhibited for over a decade, or even two, and the exhibition delves into a rarely
examined history of both Australian art and of the UWA Art Collection.
Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery
The University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, Australia 6009
P +61 (0)8 6488 3707 F +61 (0)8 6488 1017 E info@lwgallery.uwa.edu.au W www.lwgallery.uwa.edu.au
Public Programs and Special Events
14 August - 23 December 2011
As is Painting, so is Poetry: Talk and poetry reading
Thursday 15 September, 2.00 - 3.30 pm
Assoc. Prof. Glen Phillips, a Principal of The International Centre for Landscape and Language, ECU and John Ryan, PhD
candidate, ECU, examine the perceived relationship between painting and poetry through a discussion of two of the exhibition
works, Sydney Nolan’s multi-paneled The Snake and Flowers panels [Paradise Garden series].
Paintings and Emotion: The stuff of mind and spirit
Wednesday 28 September, 12.30 - 1.30 pm
Winthrop Prof. Jane Davidson, Callaway/Tunley Chair of Music, Program Leader of the ARC Centre for Excellence for the History
of Emotions, will examine works from the UWA collection which form the current exhibition, interrogating her emotional
responses to the works.
Poetry Writing Workshop
Monday 3 October, 2.00 - 5.00 pm
Assoc. Prof. Glen Phillips & PhD candidate John Ryan co-facilitate this workshop which will include presentations and guided
writing excercises in the gallery. There will also be opportunities for workshop participants to read their compositions and
receive feedback from the facilitators.
Tickets $20 full, $15 concession. Over 18 only please. Limited places.
7 Minute Speeches
Tuesday 4 October, 11.30 am - 1.00 pm
Dr Darren Jorgensen, writer, researcher and Assist. Prof, Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts, UWA, Dr Ric Spencer, artist,
writer and curator at Fremantle Arts Centre, Dr Tony Hughes-d’Ath, writer, cultural historian and Assoc. Prof, English and
Cultural Studies, UWA, and Thomas Hoareau, prize-winning Western Australian artist, represented in various national and
state galleries, will form a panel of four speakers. Each speaker is charged with the task of presenting a short, focussed and
informative speech of only seven minutes on a painting of their choice from the exhibition, followed by questions from the
audience. Strictly timed, the speeches will challenge the presenters to encapsulate the essence of their ideas in a considered,
direct and engaging way.
* Please note this event may require extended periods of standing. Portable stools available on request.
Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery
The University of Western Australia
35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, Australia 6009
P +61 (0)8 6488 3707 F +61 (0)8 6488 1017 E info@lwgallery.uwa.edu.au W www.lwgallery.uwa.edu.au